Your friendly neighbourhood geek

Can you suggest a good gadget gift for my parents?

I’d like to buy a geeky gift for my parents, something not too technical, but something they can mess around with photos on. They already have a digital camera, is there anything else you can suggest?

I was asked this question some time ago, but never got it down on AskOwen, so well, I suppose the time is right. What I had recommended in this instance was a digital photo frame, one which takes a memory card and displays the photos on a rotating schedule. There’s a whole selection of them available on the market nowadays and the prices are getting better and better. So here’s some more information about what to look for:

Screen size: This is usually the first thing to look for in a digital photo frame. They come in a variety of sizes. A 5.6″ frame will allow you to view your digital pictures across a normal size room, but sizes are available all the way up to 10.4″ frames. The bigger they are the more expensive they tend to be.

Quality of screen: Screens come in a range of qualities and usually, the more expensive the frame, the better the quality. My best advice here is to see the screen before buying it if at all possible.

Memory Cards: Most digital frames have the ability allow you to put a card with photos in them. This is the most cost-effective way of using frames

WiFi: The more expensive frames let you connect to them via WiFi and send photo to be displayed all the way from your computer.

It can be pretty confusing, so it’s worth looking around and reading as many reviews as you can before you decide which digital frame you’re after. Remember, whether it’s a family present or a corporate gift you’re after, a little bit of research can go a long way towards making sure you get the right gift.